Isaiah

Hartenstein

With Chet Holmgren (knee) out for at least 8-10 weeks, the Thunder will rely even more on Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams (3/4/1/1) and Aday Mara (seven points, nine rebounds, three assists and four blocks) in the post. Of the three, Hartenstein is the safest option for fantasy managers, which is why he’s rostered in over 80 percent of Yahoo leagues.

According to MacMahon, Holmgren underwent a biological treatment on Friday to address a small patellar tendon tear in his right knee. With Jalen Williams (ankle/fibula) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) facing extended absences, and given Holmgren’s injury history, fantasy managers should expect the Thunder to be very cautious with his rehab process. Kenrich Williams should remain in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future, and Aday Mara’s playing time should increase. Also, Holmgren’s absence raises Isaiah Hartenstein’s fantasy ceiling.

With Chet Holmgren (knee) sitting out Monday’s game, Hartenstein was the lone 7-footer in the Thunder starting lineup. He recorded his second double-double in as many nights, and iHart’s ability to play both games of Oklahoma City’s back-to-back is encouraging. He appeared in 47 games last season, and injuries also contributed to Hartenstein’s minutes dropping by more than three per game. He’s looked healthy so far, which is critical with the Thunder losing Jalen Williams (ankle/leg) for the season on Sunday.

Holmgren is dealing with right patellar tendonitis. Isaiah Hartenstein stepped up with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the win over the Clippers Sunday while Holmgren had a relatively quiet game with 10 points and four rebounds. Hartenstein should see even more usage with Holmgren out Monday against the Suns.

After recording two underwhelming stat lines in Oklahoma City’s first two games of the season, Hartenstein posted a double-double on Sunday. His play helped offset Chet Holmgren’s quiet night at the office (10 points, four rebounds, one steal, one block and two three-pointers), helping push Oklahoma City’s record to 3-0. Hartenstein also played 27 minutes, an encouraging number given his limited minutes last season.

Mara came off the bench with Isaiah Hartenstein making his preseason debut, but he was still able to make a solid impact in his 19 minutes. Mara has been productive during the preseason, and with Chet Holmgren (quad) and Jaylin Williams (heel) having been sidelined for the preseason so far, there is a chance Mara ends up playing a large role early on behind Isaiah Hartenstein. It’s a situation worth monitoring with the regular season set to start in just one week.

With Isaiah Hartenstein sitting out a second straight preseason game, Mara started alongside projected starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, and Jalen Williams on Wednesday. The rookie looked very comfortable in that role, meshing well with the Thunder playmakers in the two-man game. Mara didn’t miss a shot from the field, and Oklahoma City posted a +22.5 net rating when he was on the court. How valuable the rookie is in redraft leagues will depend on Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren’s health, with iHart limited to 47 regular-season games last season.

Hartenstein’s reported deal will keep him under contract with OKC through the 2028-29 season. His new contract allows the Thunder to keep their starting center and a key piece from their 2024-25 championship team. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Hartenstein’s fantasy value can be tricky to gauge, as he’s missed at least 25 regular-season games in each of his two seasons in OKC. However, he’s a nightly double-double threat with playmaking ability that could be a useful piece for fantasy managers.

Williams shone in Game 7, recording his first double-double of these playoffs. Given the struggles of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein (seven points, five rebounds and one steal), JayWill’s production was one reason why the Thunder had a chance late. Williams has not been a consistent option for fantasy managers during his time in Oklahoma City, but that could change next season. Hartenstein has a team option worth $28.5 million, while new deals for Holmgren and Jalen Williams will begin. The salary cap situation could make JayWill someone whom the Thunder have to rely on more in 2026-27.

Hartenstein reached double figures for the second time this series, but his defensive efforts weren’t enough to keep Victor Wembanyama from dominating Game 4. And it doesn’t help that Chet Holmgren has been largely underwhelming, with Sunday’s defeat evening the series at two games apiece going into Tuesday’s Game 5. Hartenstein logged 17 minutes in Game 4, due partly to things getting out of hand during the latter stages of the third quarter. His playing time should crack the twenties on Tuesday if things are competitive throughout.